Aidan Christensen
For rising sophomore Aidan Christensen, Canfield BHP is all about the community. While he has yet to firmly decide on a career path, Aidan knows the friends he has made in the program–whether through studying abroad or getting involved in a finance organization–will help him achieve his career goals. In today’s blog post, we asked him to reflect on how this community has helped him in his professional development.
Read on to learn more about Aidan’s career aspirations!
As a UT student, how have you gotten involved on campus this past year to pursue your goals?
Over the course of my freshman year, I have made sure to take advantage of the countless opportunities offered to me through events like organization fairs and tabling at the beginning of each semester. Through these, I was able to learn about the Philanthropy Investment Team (PIT), a finance organization where I currently serve as a senior analyst. PIT is a subsidiary within the University Securities Investment Team, and I cannot explain how much I’ve learned through only one year of being a part of it. I love PIT so much because through its curriculum, I’ve learned concepts ranging from accounting to being able to calculate how much impact a charity has made on the world. With the things I’ve taken away just from my freshman year in this organization, I look forward to the chance of working in consulting or private equity.
What type of career are you interested in?
I am interested mainly in a career in consulting. I love the idea of being able to work on a variety of cases that may require different skills and knowledge for each, as I’m the type of person who likes constantly being on the go, trying new things, and learning as much as possible. The aspect of working with people and meeting personalities that span all across the board is also very intriguing for me. I love collaborating with people, and I believe every new person I meet opens up countless doors of opportunity.
How has Canfield BHP helped guide you toward meeting your career goals?
Being in Canfield BHP has helped guide me in so many ways, but especially when it comes to figuring out how I want to spend my life after my undergraduate experience. I would say the people in Canfield BHP have contributed the most impact towards meeting my career goals thus far. A program with students from all over the nation is bound to create lasting friendships, but it’s the opportunities and uplifting culture that these students bring that truly has left the most impact on me. I have my Canfield BHP friends to thank for most of the opportunities in my life today.
What is your favorite memory with your Canfield BHP community?
While retreat is a top contender, I would say my favorite memory with my Canfield BHP community is actually happening right now on my study abroad trip in Copenhagen. Through these past few weeks, I have gotten so much closer with my Canfield BHP peers and friends, and it’s thanks to the countless coffee trips, dinner dates, and study sessions. I think you really get to know people when you live with them, and I have gotten to know everyone on a personal level, which has made for tight-knit bonds that I hope will last for a long time. I will say, going to karaoke with my friends here has been a stand out moment as now I finally know everyone’s go-to song.
What do you hope to accomplish on the Forty Acres for the next three years?
For these next three years, I hope to do more for the LGBTQ+ community, but specifically for McCombs and particularly Canfield BHP. Throughout my freshman year, I felt that there were not a lot of resources for Queer Business students. I want more light shined on LGBTQ recruiting events and conferences for business students, and my ultimate goal is to start a queer committee within the program. I want future students, especially in Canfield BHP, to feel seen and heard within the business field, as it can be a daunting environment at times. If I can provide a plethora of resources, and uplift the voices of future queer students/professionals working in business, then I’ll be perfectly content with what I accomplished on the Forty Acres.
If you would like to learn more about the Canfield BHP LGBTQ+ Affinity Group or LGBTQ+ resources at McCombs, please feel free to contact us.